


Righting Wrongs

by ElizabethWilde



Category: Glee
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-23
Updated: 2012-12-23
Packaged: 2017-11-22 03:24:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/605293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElizabethWilde/pseuds/ElizabethWilde
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An expansion of a segment from “Eventualities in Song.” Dave and Kurt try to find out who they are now and who they could be together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Righting Wrongs

The hands on his hips were sure and strong, and Kurt felt his breath catch. He wasn’t sure he even wanted to turn around and find out who the hands belonged to. There was something intoxicating about dancing intimately with someone he’d never seen. It could be a creepy old dude who didn’t belong in the college-aged crowd. It could also be a super model having a night on the town. Whoever it was, they had amazing hands. The beat throbbed through the room full of dancers. It was like they were alone despite being in the middle of the crowd.

He heard the person with him murmuring something in a soft, sexy tone, but he couldn’t make it out. It didn’t really matter. At least the voice confirmed in his mind that his partner was of a similar age. He was slightly tipsy, and the music was really too loud to hear anyway. It wasn’t that he had become some sort of useless party boy, but everyone needed to give up control sometimes. College had been a revelation in how to stop hiding, to stop worrying. He’d emerged from school someone very much the same and very much different. It eased the tension from the constant cycle of class and work to go out, get a little drunk and have a little fun.

One of the hands strayed to his waist, sliding up under his too-tight shirt and Kurt sighed and leaned back against the strong chest of his unknown partner. The man’s hand was warm pressed flush against his stomach. Warm and sexy. Kurt loved having his stomach stroked. He didn’t do ab workouts for nothing. His eyes squeezed shut, and he kept them that way for a long moment before letting them open.

Kurt couldn’t help the thrill of fear that went through him when he recognized the face of the man holding him. It was changed. Rather drastically changed, actually: the face slimmer, the body he could feel at his back infinitely more fit than it had been in high school, more toned. “Oh, god-” He immediately moved to get away, but the look of abject pain on the other man’s face stopped him momentarily. “What are you-”

“The same thing you are. I saw you... couldn’t help it. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have...” There was no blustery confidence, no anger, nothing but confused pain on Dave Karofsky’s face. A bit older, a bit wiser, a lot more fit, the young man let Kurt slip out of his grasp and finally took a deep breath. “Can I buy you a drink?”

********

Kurt tried to shake off the initial shock. It had been almost five years since he last laid eyes on the man. It was ridiculous to be frightened. Kurt reminded himself that he wasn’t scared of bullies anymore. “No. Yes. Coffee.” He knew it hadn’t sounded very confident, but his mind was working at about half capacity with the alcohol and the surprise. “Just coffee.”

The look of relief on Dave’s face was almost comedic. “There’s a place next door... quiet.”

Kurt nodded uncertainly and then followed as Karofsky led the way through the crowd and out the door. He noticed that the other man turned back to check every few seconds to see if he was still there. Under any other circumstances, it would have been funny. As things stood, Kurt felt his stomach knot at the thought of talking to Dave Karofsky. They remained silent until they both had a fresh cup of coffee in hand. The silence was awkward but not intimidating the way Kurt might have expected. That was due in large part to the fact that Karofsky looked as nervous as he felt.

They took a table that was far enough away from the main flow of traffic to be private without being totally cut off. “So,” Kurt began, knowing that he didn’t have the first idea of how to really start things off.

“So I guess... I guess the first thing’s the obvious one. I’m sorry.” It was a bare bones apology if ever there had been one, but the sincerity in the man’s voice added some heft to the words. “And second I’d like to try and explain if... if you don’t mind listening to it.”

Kurt considered that. At his angriest, he had just hoped that Karofsky got run over on his way to practice one day. At his most upset, he’d wondered how the hell anyone could treat someone else with some disdain. “I’d like to know,” he allowed after a pause.

Dave took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay. Thank you. I know a lot of it’s not gonna matter, but I’ll feel better if you... get it. Growing up, my parents were always pretty clear about what I was supposed to do, who I was supposed to be, so I always figured that was set. Fixed. Never really bothered me until I got older. It’s easy to go along with your parents when you’re a kid. Then there’s all the hormones and things get kind of...” He shook his head and shrugged one shoulder before taking a sip of coffee. “I started thinking about guys. The more I thought about it, the harder it got to not think about it.

“My dad would sneak me Playboys like it was a big secret, some kind of initiation to the club, and I swear to god, I tried to look at ‘em, and it was so fucking... so boring.” Dave let out a laugh that was bitter and self-deprecating at the same time. “Couldn’t tell ‘em. My dad had made it really clear that there were no fucking queers in his family.” The young man glanced up sharply, realizing the way it sounded and added, “His words. He said that if I ever... that I’d be out of his house. He wouldn’t tolerate that shit. I was supposed to bang some cheerleaders, get a scholarship and keep my life together. Keep doing it right.

“Then there was you. It was easy at first because all the guys gave you a hard time, so I did. It got hard when I couldn’t stop thinking about you.” Dave’s cheeks blazed at the confession, and his gaze dropped back to the coffee cup once more. “All the time. I figured if I just kept acting like everything was fine, it would be. Normal. Jocks don’t like geeks, so we both play our parts and it’s fine. If I could still be mean to you, it was like it was okay and I could just act like it wasn’t happening.”

Kurt broke in softly, “And then the kiss.”

Dave swallowed hard. “Yeah. The kiss. Jesus, I’ve never... it was stupid. So stupid, but... It doesn’t make it okay. Nothing can make that okay, but if I hadn’t done it, then I never would have... I sucked it in until graduation, but if I hadn’t kissed you, I don’t think I ever could’ve come out. I got my scholarship, and I got the hell out of my house, and once I was in the dorm, I stopped pretending.”

He looked up again, a shy glance to gauge what Kurt was thinking about everything. “I couldn’t keep being mad at everybody who was braver than me. That’s what made it so easy to be mean to you, y’know. You were just... you. There. Like it was no big deal when I felt like my whole life would fall apart if anybody even thought... And then you were so damn cute. Still are,” he added a little more quietly. “Anyway, it was stupid waiting and being such an asshole because it turned out that nobody fucking cared if I was gay or straight or whatever. No, well, nobody at school. At college. My parents cared. They told me not to bother coming home, but I knew they would, so...”

Despite the casual shrug, Kurt could hear the hurt in Dave’s voice at the words. “How long since you’ve talked to them?”

“A little over a year. I tried calling my mom, figured maybe she’d understand more. Not so much.” Dave caught himself about to shrug again and stopped. “She told me not to call again. Apparently they don’t *have* a son.”

“Jesus.” As much of a hell as Dave had made his life in high school, Kurt was pained to hear how badly his coming out had gone. Hoping to move on to more positive things, he suggested, “What about college life? Things are... good?”

“Yeah. Better. Not doing football anymore. I got another scholarship. Teaching.” He took in the look of absolute shock on Kurt’s face and nodded, “Yeah, I know. I like kids, okay? There’s a lot of inner city schools around here that nobody wants to work at. Figure nobody’s gonna give a guy my size a hard time. They deserve to get a good education too.”

“They do,” Kurt agreed, looking Karofsky over critically, “but you aren’t as big as you used to be. I mean that in a good way.”

Dave blushed yet again. “Thanks. Turns out when you’re not trying to eat your weight in burgers every day it’s a lot easier to slim down. Go figure.” Obviously ready to shift the conversation a little, he nodded toward the club they’d exited. “So what about you? Partying the nights away?”

“No. Well, a couple of them, but I don’t have much alcohol tolerance. Besides, all the smoke’s bad for my voice.” Kurt offered a hint of a smile. “I’m a theater major now, but, obviously, it’s all about the musicals. It’s just nice getting out sometimes, meeting people. I don’t mean that as a euphemism. The dancing thing, that... I don’t usually do that.”

“No complaints,” Dave answered with a flash of a smirk. “I’m just sorry I, y’know, took advantage of the moment. At first I thought you just looked like you. I mean - you know what I mean. It wasn’t until I got closer that I realized it was you. Thought it was just wishful thinking at first.”

“Wishful thinking?” Kurt couldn’t quite keep himself from looking somewhat pleased at the confession. An inner voice reminded him rather pointedly of just what kind of guy Karofsky had been for years. Another voice countered with a rather vivid flash of just how good the dancing had felt for the few minutes it actually lasted.

“Yeah. Look, I didn’t even expect you to agree to talk to me. I was so much of an asshole that even I don’t like to think about me back in high school. That doesn’t mean that I don’t still think about some parts of it.” He stopped as if considering whether to complete his confessions for the evening or not. “I said I came out. I didn’t say I’ve figured out how to pick up guys. Fucked up as it was... you’re the only guy I’ve ever kissed. I’d give just about anything to fix how it happened, though, to make it something you didn’t have to feel bad about. Something like that should be special.”

Kurt felt the sting of tears at those words. The sentiment was one he’d expressed often enough himself. “Yeah. It should be.”

“Kurt, if I could-”

“You can’t. Nobody can.” The slighter young man took a slow breath. “It was a long time ago, though. There have been other kisses.”

Dave considered that. “Hope they were good ones.”

“They were. I was... I saw someone at my new school for quite while. He graduated the year before me and things got hard. We were too young for long distance.” Kurt wasn’t too proud to add, “There haven’t been a lot of kisses since then. I think I like being with someone I know wants to stick around more than I just want to be with someone.”

“Is it nuts to say I’m glad and sorry at the same time? You deserve to have all that… all the romance. But I’m glad you’re waiting for it,” the young man clarified with a sheepish smile.

Kurt found himself smiling back. “That’s… very sweet, actually.” A glance down at Kurt’s watch revealed that it was well past the hour at which he’d intended to crawl back into his own bed. “Look, I may be an idiot for doing this, but it wouldn’t be the first time. How about we meet tomorrow for lunch? You seem like you could use a friend or two.” Terrible as Karofsky had been to him in high school, the young man sitting in front of him bore little resemblance to the monster who had terrorized him. This was a Dave who needed help as much as Kurt himself had in school.

“Really? Are you- y’know what, not gonna ask that because you might change your mind. Yeah, that’s perfect. Uh, we can meet here and figure out where to go?”

Holding a hand out, Kurt requested simply, “Phone,” and waited until Dave fished his phone from his pocket and placed it in Kurt’s delicate hand. He had his number put into the device in seconds and passed it back. “Twelve o’clock. I won’t be late, but… if you change your mind.” There were a lot of years and awkward times between them, and Kurt knew he wasn’t the only one who found it difficult to work past at times. He flashed Dave a smile and rose. “Tomorrow.” Thankfully he was too tired to overthink the whole evening as he drove home to try and get some rest.

********

He was nervous. So nervous that he actually felt sick, which wasn’t helpful when facing an attempt to have a nice lunch. A nice lunch with someone he’d been more than slightly in love with since high school. With an effort, Dave kept from banging his head against the table. He considered the idea of just getting up and leaving before it was too late.

Of course, it was already too late. His heart lurched painfully in his chest at the sight of Kurt Hummel walking over to the table with a smile on his face. After everything that had passed between them, he frankly didn’t feel worthy of the expression or the way it made him feel.

“I’m glad to see you made it,” Kurt said, tone breezy and light as he slid into the chair across from Dave.

“Nothing would’ve made me miss it.” The words were out of his mouth before he could think better of it, and Dave fought the urge to slap his forehead. He knew he was taking socially awkward to new heights, but there was nothing that could be done for it. “Uh, so, what kinda food do you like?”

Having expected something highbrow – French or Ethiopian or even sushi – Dave’s eyebrows raised of their own volition when Kurt answered simply, “A burger sounds perfect.” Catching sight of the expression, Kurt’s smile grew a bit wider. “Well, the place I have in mind makes their own buns and root beer if that helps at all.”

Dave snorted and nodded. “Yeah, a little. Well, lead the way. I don’t say no to burgers… well, okay, more often than I used to,” he patted his stomach and shrugged, “but not a lot.”

“Good.” Kurt led the way out of the coffee shop and down the block to a small café. It looked like the kind of place that had been owned by the same family for years and years, and Dave liked it at once. “They have the absolute best food. Swear to god.” Still smiling easily, Kurt added, “The owner is this little old guy. He looks like he’s a thousand, but the man can make a shake like no one else.”

When they got up to the counter, Dave looked the menu over and finally shook his head. “Order for me. I’ll trust the pro.”

Kurt took to the task without a moment’s hesitation, getting them each a cheeseburger, onion rings and a chocolate shake for him with peanut butter for Dave. “That way we don’t have to choose – just share.”

The intimacy of that idea brought a new blush of color to Dave’s cheeks, but he nodded anyway and tried to sound comfortable and casual. “Sure. Yeah. Good thinking.” The silence stretched out between them, but it wasn’t all that uncomfortable. Sitting at a rickety table with pop music playing in the background while they waited for food actually felt pretty darn normal. “Sorry, I feel like I should have, like, something to say. Something profound.” Dave couldn’t help laughing as soon as the words were out of his mouth. “And that was not it.”

“Maybe not,” Kurt agreed with a chuckle, “but it was nice. Better than profound, actually. Deep philosophical discussion doesn’t go with burgers. Laughing is better.”

“Yeah… it is.” The smile that lit the larger man’s face was genuine, and he shook his head. “God, how do you just… it’s just normal being here with you. Shouldn’t it be weird?”

Kurt considered that quietly for a moment. “Probably, yes,” he agreed, “but after last night, it’s easier to see you as David. Right now you’re where I used to be in a lot of ways, but you have it worse. I had my father, my stepmother, my friends. You’re doing this alone. Do you have any friends you can talk to?”

That question brought the mood down a bit, but Dave had already decided that he owed Kurt openness and honesty at the very least. “No. I have… there’s a few people I talk to some, hang out with, but it’s… it’s not… I guess it’s just company, not anybody I can talk to about really important things. Sounds dumb, but it’s easier talking to you.”

“It isn’t dumb. I’ve seen a side of you that they won’t. That’s a good thing for them, but it means that you don’t feel like they know you.” Kurt waited for a silent affirmation before he continued, “The thing is, they do. They know you as you are now, and hard as it may be for even you to believe, that’s the part that matters.”

Dave looked down at the table but was saved from thinking of an immediate reply by the arrival of their food. He opened his mouth at one point to ask again how the hell Kurt could be so nice to him, but he finally decided against it. The question had nothing to do with Kurt and more to do with the fact that he felt like he deserved a mean answer. He didn’t deserve Kurt being so nice. And that was his own hang up to deal with. “You were right about the burgers, man. Really good.”

“Of course I was,” Kurt answered as though it had been obvious from the start. “I won’t eat just anything. Please stop looking at me as if I’m going to pull out a gun any second. If this is going to work – us trying to be friends – then it has to be in spite of the past, not because of it. We’ll both drive ourselves crazy otherwise.”

Again Dave found himself struck by the fact that Kurt seemed to be reading his mind. “Yeah. No. You’re right. Again. You ever get tired of that?”

The young man didn’t even pause before answering, “Never. Ever. Not for a second.”

Shaking his head, Dave just grinned and went back to eating. Despite everything – or maybe even because of it – he had himself a new friend.

Chapter 4

The casual coffee dates and lunches on the run went on for the next few months without fail. Dave found himself realizing in quiet moments that he honestly hadn’t ever been so close to anyone. Kurt was the first friend he’d had who knew not only his present but his past and still treated him the same way. He also realized that with all the things Kurt chattered on about while they were talking, boyfriends never came up. Ever. 

Dave himself had spoken rather haltingly once or twice about a guy in his English class that he thought was kind of cute. Kurt had given him a strange look and suggested he ask the guy out. After almost choking on his coffee, Dave had protested, and neither of them ever said another word about it. 

It was nearly April when Kurt stopped and stared at Dave over the rim of his massive mug of hot chocolate - which he’d insisted was appropriate no matter how warm the weather had turned - and observed, “We never go out to dinner.”

“Uh... no,” Dave agreed slowly. It was true, and he’d thought about it himself, but somehow that crossed a line to “date” in his mind that he couldn’t quite erase. They’d also never gone to a movie or a play together though they’d discussed them together after going with other friends. He hesitantly raised his gaze to search Kurt’s face but found the expression utterly inscrutable. “We haven’t.”

Bright blue-green eyes flickered down to the mug as Kurt set it down on the table again. “Hmm.” He finally squared his shoulders and looked back up to stare evenly at his companion. “We should. Something... official.”

The word made Dave blink stupidly back at him. “Official?” 

“Official,” Kurt agreed, gaze still intense. “Unless, of course...” The confidence faltered, and Kurt’s gaze flickered to the melting whipped cream in his mug. “Unless you’re not interested.”

“Interested?” Dave held up a hand before Kurt could ask if there was an echo. “Sorry. I... you... Okay, so I’m not as dumb as I pretended to be in high school, but I’m feeling pretty damn stupid right now - pardon my French. You’re asking me-”

“Out on a date. Yes. An official date,” Kurt agreed, looking slightly more hopeful as Dave put the pieces together, though his smile flickered when he noted that the dark-haired boy looked more confused than pleased by the announcement. “Like I said, only if you’re interested. If not, I’d rather we pretend this conversation never happened and go on as normal.”

Instead of answering, Dave sat further back in his chair and just stared. It went on for several minutes until he finally managed, “We should. Go out. Assuming you mean it and you aren’t just having, like, a stroke or something. Psychotic break?”

Kurt brightened at once and shook his head. “No, not lately.” He bit his lip and traced the rim of the mug absently with one finger. “You’re sure?”

“Of course I am!” Dave sat forward again and, after staring and considering the possibility for several seconds, reached for Kurt’s free hand and took it carefully, holding it like it might break if he held on too hard. “Just surprised me. I never thought you’d think about... about me like that, after-”

“I told you, that’s the past.”

“Our past, though. It doesn’t stop being there because things are different now.” That was something that had taken Dave a long time to get his head around, and it troubled him how many terrible things he’d done that he could never fix or take back. 

“You’re right, but it doesn’t mean we stop being able to choose our actions now. The future’s still ours to plan. We don’t have to let something that happened ruin what could happen next.”

Still stunned, Dave smiled and shook his head. “It may be awhile before I shake the idea that you’ve lost it. Hope you know that.”

Kurt turned his hand over in the other boy’s and gave a warm squeeze. “That’s alright. I can wait."


End file.
